Service Design · Accessibility · Urban Experience
DESIGNING AN ACCESSIBLE TOURISM ECOSYSTEM FOR A COMPLEX CITY
Bogotá 360° is a service and infrastructure concept that rethinks how people with reduced mobility access double-decker tourist buses, turning accessibility from an add-on into a system-level solution.
Year :
2020
Company :
Academic Thesis
Products :
Accesible Urban Tourism
Scope :
1 year
Problem :
Tourism services in Bogotá weren't designed as an accessible system.
For users with reduced mobility, accessing double-decker tour buses depended on manual assistance, improvised solutions or simply wasn't possible. Accessibility was treated as an exception, not as a design baseline.
Key gaps:
No integrated access infrastructure
Dependence on third-party assistance
Safety and autonomy risks
Fragmented visitor experience
Opportunity :
This gap represented a clear opportunity:
Position Bogotá as a reference for accessible tourism in Latin America
Transform inclusion into a competitive advantage
Design experiences that work better for everyone, not just for a few
This led to the creation of Bogotá 360°.
Research & insights :
The research mapped the full tourism journey and identified critical friction points in boarding and circulation.
Focus areas:
Boarding processes
Physical constraints of double-decker buses
Operational limitations
User autonomy and safety
Assistance dependency patterns
Key insight
The barrier wasn't the destination. It was access to the system that enables the experience.
If you can’t get on the bus, the city is already inaccessible.
Design Principle
Accessibility = autonomy + safety + dignity
Every solution had to:
Enable independent access
Integrate into existing services
Avoid stigmatizing users
Feel native to the vehicle and experience
Concept & System Thinking :
Bogotá 360° was designed as a tourism accessibility ecosystem, not a single product.
The system combines:
Physical infrastructure
Service design
Vehicle integration
Experience layer
Operational feasibility
The goal was coherence across touchpoints.
Beyond the Object
The platform is only the starting point.
Bogotá 360° establishes a foundation for:
Accessible tourism routes
Clear and inclusive visitor information
A scalable model applicable to other cities
Designing for accessibility means designing better systems for everyone.
Platform 360° :
Plataforma 360° is a modular access platform integrated directly into double-decker buses, enabling users with reduced mobility to access upper levels safely and autonomously.
Design priorities:
Structural stability
Safe vertical circulation
Operational simplicity
Seamless vehicle integration
Neutral visual language
EXPERIENCE & VALUE :
The experience shifts from assisted access to independent participation.
User value:
Increased autonomy
Reduced safety risk
Predictable boarding process
Dignified interaction with the service
The benefit extends beyond wheelchair users to:
Older adults
Families with strollers
Temporary mobility limitations
Why accessibility scales
While the system was designed with accessibility in mind, it also benefits a broader audience:
Older adults
Families with strollers
Temporary injuries or mobility limitations
Designing for accessibility ultimately leads to better-designed systems for everyone, reducing friction and improving usability across contexts.
IMPACT, REFLECTION & LEARNINGS :
Although developed as an academic project, Bogotá 360° demonstrates how system-level design can address urban accessibility challenges through integrated solutions.
Key learnings:
Accessibility must be designed early
Physical solutions need service integration
System thinking is critical in city contexts
Inclusive design improves usability for everyone
More Projects
Service Design · Accessibility · Urban Experience
DESIGNING AN ACCESSIBLE TOURISM ECOSYSTEM FOR A COMPLEX CITY
Bogotá 360° is a service and infrastructure concept that rethinks how people with reduced mobility access double-decker tourist buses, turning accessibility from an add-on into a system-level solution.
Year :
2020
Company :
Academic Thesis
Products :
Accesible Urban Tourism
Scope :
1 year
Problem :
Tourism services in Bogotá weren't designed as an accessible system.
For users with reduced mobility, accessing double-decker tour buses depended on manual assistance, improvised solutions or simply wasn't possible. Accessibility was treated as an exception, not as a design baseline.
Key gaps:
No integrated access infrastructure
Dependence on third-party assistance
Safety and autonomy risks
Fragmented visitor experience
Opportunity :
This gap represented a clear opportunity:
Position Bogotá as a reference for accessible tourism in Latin America
Transform inclusion into a competitive advantage
Design experiences that work better for everyone, not just for a few
This led to the creation of Bogotá 360°.
Research & insights :
The research mapped the full tourism journey and identified critical friction points in boarding and circulation.
Focus areas:
Boarding processes
Physical constraints of double-decker buses
Operational limitations
User autonomy and safety
Assistance dependency patterns
Key insight
The barrier wasn't the destination. It was access to the system that enables the experience.
If you can’t get on the bus, the city is already inaccessible.
Design Principle
Accessibility = autonomy + safety + dignity
Every solution had to:
Enable independent access
Integrate into existing services
Avoid stigmatizing users
Feel native to the vehicle and experience
Concept & System Thinking :
Bogotá 360° was designed as a tourism accessibility ecosystem, not a single product.
The system combines:
Physical infrastructure
Service design
Vehicle integration
Experience layer
Operational feasibility
The goal was coherence across touchpoints.
Beyond the Object
The platform is only the starting point.
Bogotá 360° establishes a foundation for:
Accessible tourism routes
Clear and inclusive visitor information
A scalable model applicable to other cities
Designing for accessibility means designing better systems for everyone.
Platform 360° :
Plataforma 360° is a modular access platform integrated directly into double-decker buses, enabling users with reduced mobility to access upper levels safely and autonomously.
Design priorities:
Structural stability
Safe vertical circulation
Operational simplicity
Seamless vehicle integration
Neutral visual language
EXPERIENCE & VALUE :
The experience shifts from assisted access to independent participation.
User value:
Increased autonomy
Reduced safety risk
Predictable boarding process
Dignified interaction with the service
The benefit extends beyond wheelchair users to:
Older adults
Families with strollers
Temporary mobility limitations
Why accessibility scales
While the system was designed with accessibility in mind, it also benefits a broader audience:
Older adults
Families with strollers
Temporary injuries or mobility limitations
Designing for accessibility ultimately leads to better-designed systems for everyone, reducing friction and improving usability across contexts.
IMPACT, REFLECTION & LEARNINGS :
Although developed as an academic project, Bogotá 360° demonstrates how system-level design can address urban accessibility challenges through integrated solutions.
Key learnings:
Accessibility must be designed early
Physical solutions need service integration
System thinking is critical in city contexts
Inclusive design improves usability for everyone
More Projects
Service Design · Accessibility · Urban Experience
DESIGNING AN ACCESSIBLE TOURISM ECOSYSTEM FOR A COMPLEX CITY
Bogotá 360° is a service and infrastructure concept that rethinks how people with reduced mobility access double-decker tourist buses, turning accessibility from an add-on into a system-level solution.
Year :
2020
Company :
Academic Thesis
Products :
Accesible Urban Tourism
Scope :
1 year
Problem :
Tourism services in Bogotá weren't designed as an accessible system.
For users with reduced mobility, accessing double-decker tour buses depended on manual assistance, improvised solutions or simply wasn't possible. Accessibility was treated as an exception, not as a design baseline.
Key gaps:
No integrated access infrastructure
Dependence on third-party assistance
Safety and autonomy risks
Fragmented visitor experience
Opportunity :
This gap represented a clear opportunity:
Position Bogotá as a reference for accessible tourism in Latin America
Transform inclusion into a competitive advantage
Design experiences that work better for everyone, not just for a few
This led to the creation of Bogotá 360°.
Research & insights :
The research mapped the full tourism journey and identified critical friction points in boarding and circulation.
Focus areas:
Boarding processes
Physical constraints of double-decker buses
Operational limitations
User autonomy and safety
Assistance dependency patterns
Key insight
The barrier wasn't the destination. It was access to the system that enables the experience.
If you can’t get on the bus, the city is already inaccessible.
Design Principle
Accessibility = autonomy + safety + dignity
Every solution had to:
Enable independent access
Integrate into existing services
Avoid stigmatizing users
Feel native to the vehicle and experience
Concept & System Thinking :
Bogotá 360° was designed as a tourism accessibility ecosystem, not a single product.
The system combines:
Physical infrastructure
Service design
Vehicle integration
Experience layer
Operational feasibility
The goal was coherence across touchpoints.
Beyond the Object
The platform is only the starting point.
Bogotá 360° establishes a foundation for:
Accessible tourism routes
Clear and inclusive visitor information
A scalable model applicable to other cities
Designing for accessibility means designing better systems for everyone.
Platform 360° :
Plataforma 360° is a modular access platform integrated directly into double-decker buses, enabling users with reduced mobility to access upper levels safely and autonomously.
Design priorities:
Structural stability
Safe vertical circulation
Operational simplicity
Seamless vehicle integration
Neutral visual language
EXPERIENCE & VALUE :
The experience shifts from assisted access to independent participation.
User value:
Increased autonomy
Reduced safety risk
Predictable boarding process
Dignified interaction with the service
The benefit extends beyond wheelchair users to:
Older adults
Families with strollers
Temporary mobility limitations
Why accessibility scales
While the system was designed with accessibility in mind, it also benefits a broader audience:
Older adults
Families with strollers
Temporary injuries or mobility limitations
Designing for accessibility ultimately leads to better-designed systems for everyone, reducing friction and improving usability across contexts.
IMPACT, REFLECTION & LEARNINGS :
Although developed as an academic project, Bogotá 360° demonstrates how system-level design can address urban accessibility challenges through integrated solutions.
Key learnings:
Accessibility must be designed early
Physical solutions need service integration
System thinking is critical in city contexts
Inclusive design improves usability for everyone